Fungal endoglucanases, their production and use

Abstract

Novel fungal endoglucanases Ce15 and Ce112 are disclosed. The endoglucanases are conveniently produced by recombinant technology, and means for their production are described. The endoglucanases are used for treating cellulosic material, especially in textile industry, e.g. in biofinishing or biostoning. They may also be used in detergents, in animal feed and/or in pulp and paper industry, or in hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material for, e.g. bioethanol production.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A isolated fungal endoglucanase polypeptide, which belongs to glycosyl hydrolase family 12, and which comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 66. 
     
     
       2. The endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1 , which is obtained from  Trichoderma  or  Hypocrea.    
     
     
       3. The endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1  comprising SEQ ID NO: 66. 
     
     
       4. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a nucleotide sequence having SEQ ID NO: 65, 
 b) a complementary strand of a), or 
 c) a sequence that is degenerate as a result of the genetic code to anyone of the sequences of a) or b). 
 
     
     
       5. The polynucleotide of  claim 4 , which is the polynucleotide carried by  E. coli  DSM 19420. 
     
     
       6. An expression vector, comprising a polynucleotide of  claim 4 . 
     
     
       7. A isolated host cell comprising the expression vector of  claim 6 . 
     
     
       8. A method for the production of an endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1  comprising the steps of transforming a host cell with an expression vector encoding said polypeptide, and culturing said host cell under conditions enabling expression of said polypeptide, and optionally recovering and purifying said polypeptide. 
     
     
       9. An enzyme preparation comprising the endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. A process for treating cellulosic material, wherein said process comprises contacting the cellulosic material with the endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1 , or the enzyme preparation of  claim 9 . 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 10 , wherein the treatment is carried out at a temperature of ≦50° C. 
     
     
       12. The process of  claim 11 , which is carried out at a pH of about 4-6. 
     
     
       13. The process of  claim 10 , which is biostoning or biofinishing. 
     
     
       14. The process of  claim 10 , which is hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material or a food application. 
     
     
       15. A detergent composition comprising the endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1 , or the enzyme preparation of  claim 9 . 
     
     
       16. Animal feed comprising the endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1 , or the enzyme preparation of  claim 9 . 
     
     
       17. The endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1 , which is obtained from  T. harzianum.    
     
     
       18. The endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1 , which is obtained from  T. harzianum  RF6541 (CBS 119957). 
     
     
       19. The endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1  having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 66. 
     
     
       20. The endoglucanase polypeptide of  claim 1  having at least 98% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 66. 
     
     
       21. The process of  claim 10 , wherein the treatment is carried out at a temperature of ≦40° C. 
     
     
       22. The process of  claim 11 , which is carried out at a pH of about 4.5-5.5. 
     
     
       23. The process of  claim 11 , which is carried out at a pH of about 5.0-5.5.